tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post7640600812474026256..comments2024-03-28T08:54:28.654+08:00Comments on Cresting The Hill: 4 WAYS TO DESIGN A MINIMALIST MIDLIFELeannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-9564818924030328052020-02-23T16:54:21.121+08:002020-02-23T16:54:21.121+08:00I still love a "real" book Corinne - muc...I still love a "real" book Corinne - much more so than an electronic version - I'm a huge fan of our local library who source books for me and that has saved me BIG $$ over the years!Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-19966928168824567972020-02-18T23:27:46.077+08:002020-02-18T23:27:46.077+08:00Being an Army brat, I learned to keep things to a ...Being an Army brat, I learned to keep things to a minimum, Leanne. However, books are my weakness! I've tried to take care of this by switching to e-books, but there are still some books I prefer to read hard copies of.Corinne Rodrigueshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11142098428026084994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-53571472011760629062020-02-14T14:26:44.598+08:002020-02-14T14:26:44.598+08:00Sheds are notorious for being repositories of all ...Sheds are notorious for being repositories of all those things "we might need" but never do - not having a shed is definitely a good de-cluttering move. Our house is largish to allow for family visits, but we're very careful about not filling the spare rooms with overflow - that's such a trap.Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-9121050036162131092020-02-14T14:25:18.781+08:002020-02-14T14:25:18.781+08:00Hi Deb, we were in our last place for 22 years and...Hi Deb, we were in our last place for 22 years and in this place (so far) for 10 years and the build up of stuff is definitely real. Even though we don't buy a lot, there are still gifts, "bargains", one off purchases, etc etc. Now I just routinely browse around the place and see what's not fitting into our life any more and send it on its way. ATM I seem to be gathering grandbaby toys - they'll be in the cupboard for a few years to come though! (the toys not the grandbabies!!)Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-14940909402850838862020-02-14T14:23:11.012+08:002020-02-14T14:23:11.012+08:00That's the one problem with renting isn't ...That's the one problem with renting isn't it Denyse - that little bit of uncertainty about how long term your lease will be. Moving is the best excuse to cull and we've moved so rarely that it isn't enough of a motivator. Now I just do a bit of a cruise around our house every year or so and pack up things that have been shoved to the back of a cupboard or that haven't been used and are gathering dust. Coffee cups are another thing that seems to breed at our place!Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-44317683344053764892020-02-14T14:21:03.684+08:002020-02-14T14:21:03.684+08:00My husband's weak spot is books Christie - he ...My husband's weak spot is books Christie - he has a couple of floor to ceiling bookcases jam packed and refuses to let any of them go. I figure we're all allowed to have a quirk that drives our partner a little bit crazy! <br />I also like the boxing first idea because I always worry I might regret spontaneously chucking something out - having it out of sight for 6 months takes that out of the mix and I can then pass things on with a clear head.Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-69372761631611161452020-02-14T14:18:59.685+08:002020-02-14T14:18:59.685+08:00Moving house is the best de-cluttering tool of all...Moving house is the best de-cluttering tool of all Min (unless you're my in-laws who packed every single thing they owned and took it with them - I've never seen so many packing boxes in my life!!) Now that we're settled and not planning on another move I just keep checking if things are creeping up and donate them if they're in the back of a cupboard or not being used/worn. It helps keep things under control.Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-65149037673306520072020-02-14T14:17:02.824+08:002020-02-14T14:17:02.824+08:00Hi Sue - yes I think we'd both feel "at h...Hi Sue - yes I think we'd both feel "at home" if we visited each other. My MIL has been downsized into a much smaller place and it's packed to the rafters with so much clutter that it does my head in. I have a need for space and clarity and order, so too much "stuff" starts to wear me down. It certainly saves money too because I'm happy to browse the shops and leave it all behind instead of buying it to bring home!Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-49494223564938116302020-02-14T14:14:54.940+08:002020-02-14T14:14:54.940+08:00Hi Agnes - I've held onto things too (includin...Hi Agnes - I've held onto things too (including a big pile of photo albums). I'm working on the idea that if they bring me pleasure then it's okay, but if I'm just storing them for the kids then it's a waste of space because neither of our adult kids want any of their childhood memorabilia or any of our stuff. So if it's gathering dust it's out the door these days.Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-50118661800258879622020-02-14T14:12:59.661+08:002020-02-14T14:12:59.661+08:00I can't even begin to imagine what a process t...I can't even begin to imagine what a process that would be Christina - but I'm glad you're getting through it with positivity and your relationship still intact!Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-21728044260878010812020-02-14T14:12:20.747+08:002020-02-14T14:12:20.747+08:00I think that's the way I'll be dealing wit...I think that's the way I'll be dealing with my wardrobe from here on too Jennifer - I've been holding on to work clothes and trying to figure out where I can wear them. It's time to just let them go and get them out of my closet and onto someone who might actually wear them.Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-81208829359297082642020-02-14T11:19:35.079+08:002020-02-14T11:19:35.079+08:00That's my goal too Natalie - my kids certainly...That's my goal too Natalie - my kids certainly don't want any of it, and it's such a burden going through the belongings of a loved one, so why not make it as easy as possible for them?Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-62769034377473652122020-02-14T11:18:44.906+08:002020-02-14T11:18:44.906+08:00I'm aiming for the 6 month wardrobe prune to J...I'm aiming for the 6 month wardrobe prune to Jo - the seasonal clothing swap around lends itself to getting rid of stuff that I'm not wearing. All the work gear that I thought I could repurpose is not turning out to be the case - it's going to give me a lot of pleasure to donate that in the next few months!Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-63968533687874656282020-02-14T11:17:35.694+08:002020-02-14T11:17:35.694+08:00Hi Bree - people told me we should have a garage s...Hi Bree - people told me we should have a garage sale when we moved, but I found it much easier to donate or bin the excess. If it was useable by someone else it went into the Op Shop box, if it had reached the end of its usefullness it hit the bin. I haven't missed a single item that we left behind and it's been nice to start afresh.Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-21702476509756135552020-02-14T11:16:03.793+08:002020-02-14T11:16:03.793+08:00Clothes just tend to keep creeping into my wardrob...Clothes just tend to keep creeping into my wardrobe too Lydia - the occasional little bargain buy still adds up! As far as books go, I'm too cheap to buy them, so they come from the library and go back there afterwards, my husband on the other hand....Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-4614281597441775532020-02-14T11:15:01.421+08:002020-02-14T11:15:01.421+08:00Hi Jennifer - I'm finding the same thing with ...Hi Jennifer - I'm finding the same thing with all the clothes I've folded up and put away - I just don't seem to have missed them. It's nice to pass them on and to have a closet you can navigate instead of one jam packed and overflowing. I find the same thing with an un-cluttered house - it gives me a sense of peace and being in control rather than chaos - and I love that.Leannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-2842715246969845152020-02-14T11:13:21.010+08:002020-02-14T11:13:21.010+08:00Thanks for the share and for popping in Suzanne xThanks for the share and for popping in Suzanne xLeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05623420015695351280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-91999586713424488882020-02-14T10:21:02.594+08:002020-02-14T10:21:02.594+08:00Leanne, I've always been a minimalist. That...Leanne, I've always been a minimalist. That's why when it came time for us to buy a house, we chose a small house, with a small garage and NO SHED! (Well, there was a shed here, but we promptly removed it!) I follow the One In One Out rule, so our belongings never outgrow our limited storage capacity. I've always done a limited and classic wardrobe, probably since I began choosing my own clothing in kindergarten!Jean | DelightfulRepast.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02038772991628796917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-15449135255190261572020-02-13T18:14:58.225+08:002020-02-13T18:14:58.225+08:00We haven't moved for 19 years so have a build ...We haven't moved for 19 years so have a build up of stuff which we're slowly culling. It's definitely a work in progress to a simpler less cluttered life. Your points are well made and very timely. Thanks so much for sharing your words of wisdom with us and I've shared on SM for #mlstlDeb's Worldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12706654888846671781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-74062482377832518172020-02-13T14:19:26.712+08:002020-02-13T14:19:26.712+08:00I know I feel better after a cull of 'stuff...I know I feel better after a cull of 'stuff' but I can sometimes do this too well and find myself re-purchasing what I thought I wouldn't use again. Mostly in the arts/craft area. With the many moves we did as teachers and again selling our house to rent we did off-load a lot. I still have some boxes of memories including photos and some mementoes of my life. I will not be giving these away or deciding what to do until the DAY we finally get a place to make our own again. Renting is not conducive to settling in but we have now secured another year here. That in it own way is a relief. Denyse #mlstlDenyse Whelan.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16888810644186418559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-65445434011670512682020-02-13T07:59:47.093+08:002020-02-13T07:59:47.093+08:00I like the idea of boxing up items and seeing if y...I like the idea of boxing up items and seeing if you miss them before passing them on for someone else to enjoy. I like fewer things, but my husband is more of a collector. It sometimes stresses me out. For example, we have lots of things stuck to our fridge with magnets. I'd prefer a cleaner look. Our curio cabinet is packed with stuff, while I'd prefer to have fewer, more selective items on display. My husband and I are such a perfect match in other ways, I try to let this one go. #MLSTLChristie Hawkeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14897036282962474586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-28562040361227838972020-02-13T06:19:06.844+08:002020-02-13T06:19:06.844+08:00Yes I love the idea of minimalism and I don't ...Yes I love the idea of minimalism and I don't like clutter. In saying that though, it always seems to accumulate and requires a cull now and then. When we moved from our last house to this house that was the biggest cull I've ever done involving a garage sale, a skip bin, and giving lots of things away to charity. I recently cleaned out my linen cupboard and gave loads of stuff to charity along with some clothes. My wardrobes need a good clean out next and then there is that hallway cupboard that is so full of stuff that something falls out everytime I open it. Oh and the bathroom cupboards need a clean out too. I always feel better after a good declutter. It declutters my mind also in the process! :-) Min - Write of the Middlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11880899126465316282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-49310302436099142102020-02-13T04:18:09.140+08:002020-02-13T04:18:09.140+08:00Hi Leanne, my husband has always been a minimalist...Hi Leanne, my husband has always been a minimalist even before it was 'fashionable'. Having lived with him for 25 years and moved several times, I have learned the art and I enjoy the simplicity. My MIL on the other hand kept everything she had ever owned, every space was filled in her home and after 90 years of collecting/hoarding it certainly was a challenge to find 'homes' for everything when she moved to aged care. I've learned from that experience and apart from feeling claustrophobic with so much 'stuff' around, I don't want my children to have the job of clearing out all of my possessions after I've gone. I think we would enjoy each other's homes - no clutter! Another week of #MLSTL and our BBB co-hosting gig, I'm sharing on SM. xxSue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15418770845484399102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-53654628987529279262020-02-13T02:14:51.579+08:002020-02-13T02:14:51.579+08:00I am, at heart, a minimalist too, Leanne, and more...I am, at heart, a minimalist too, Leanne, and more and more so as I get older. My one downfall, however, is sentimental value. If one of my children or grands have given it to me, or it's something that was important to my mother and was left in my home after she passed... those things I have trouble parting with. That said, I am learning to repurpose things that I know will have no significant value to my children and grandchildren. I also remind them regularly that I am fine with them donating all my stuff when I go, to not get trapped by the sentimentalism that I struggle with. Great thoughts here, thank you!Agneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738729426916605603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722898771124083282.post-56696529944477053442020-02-12T22:07:46.708+08:002020-02-12T22:07:46.708+08:00We're still trying to declutter after merging ...We're still trying to declutter after merging two households together 6 yrs ago. Slow process but worth itChristina Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04403894909851373923noreply@blogger.com